Linksys
This story is part of CES, where our editors will bring you the latest news and the most popular articles from the all-virtual CES 2021.
Fun fact: Aquariums are a common headache for Wi-Fi networks, as Wi-Fi signals are difficult to pass through water. The same goes for people, because our bodies are also largely made up of water – and that means we cause disruptions when we walk through a Wi-Fi network.
Select mesh routers from Linksys Velop can use the spectral perturbations to detect movement and send an alert to your phone – and now, at CES 2021, Linksys brings the feature to a new Velop device that supports Wi-Fi 6E, a new name for top-of-the-line wireless devices that can send signals on the 6 GHz band.
The Linksys AXE8400 is mentioned and is expected to be launched this summer. The tri-band router is set to join the Velop range of measurement systems, where it will sell for $ 450 for a single device, $ 850 for a 2-pack with a router and extension. , or $ 1,200 for a router with two extensions. This will easily make it one of the most expensive grills on the market – about $ 200 more than you would spend the fastest, best performing mesh router we tested, the AX6000 version of Netgear Orbi.
Like the system, the AXE8400 uses the latest generation of Wi-Fi, called Wi-Fi 6, to ensure fast, efficient performance, but the addition of Wi-Fi 6E support means it can also send signals in the 6 GHz band, which the FCC has just opened for unlicensed Wi-Fi use in 2020. With more than twice the bandwidth of the 5 GHz band – and no interference by existing generation Wi-Fi devices – 6 GHz is like a shiny new highway with lots of traffic with room for a lot of traffic, and Wi-Fi 6E routers like the AXE8400 have a ticket to row.
Of course, at this point there are virtually no phones, laptops or other client devices that support Wi-Fi 6E, but we expect that to change in the coming year. Even without them, your home network will benefit from a multi-piece Wi-Fi 6E network setup, as the router and its satellite nodes can all pass back and forth on the luxurious 6 GHz band. Whether this summer will be enough to be worth the strong premium remains to be seen.
The AXE8400 includes four additional gigabit Ethernet connections, a USB 3.0 port for peripherals, and a WAN port that supports incoming wired speeds of up to 5 Gbps.
Linksys
Specifically, the AXE8400 features a three-band design that can provide 4X4 MU-MIMO connections on the 2.4, 5, or 6 GHz bands. The highest theoretical transmission speeds on the 6 GHz band are listed at 4.8 Gbps, compared to 2.4 and 1.2 Gbps on the 5 and 2.4 GHz bands respectively. The router runs on a 2.2 GHz square processor, it features a WAN port that supports incoming wired speeds of up to 5 Gbps, and it offers up to 3000 square feet of reach per node. This all fits into the bill for a premium roster in 2021.
As for the Linksys Aware motion sensitivity, it costs an extra $ 3 per month or $ 25 per year. You’ll be able to manage it via the Linksys app, where you can set the sensitivity for specific Wi-Fi devices at fixed locations in your network and set up alerts on your phone for each time the router detects motion-based interference. they. You can also track up to 60 days of moving events, giving you a glimpse of exactly when your teen snuck out the other month, or when your spouse was in the kitchen last week for a midnight snack in the kitchen. However, this is where Linksys Aware stops – this feature can not be used to activate your smart lights, your home security system or any other connected devices.
“We are exploring all possibilities,” says Linksys.
I honestly haven’t had the opportunity to test it out yet, but the use cases have certainly piqued my curiosity. I am also interested to know if Linksys stores the local alert data locally or if it is uploaded to the company’s servers. Linksys does not specify on the Linksys Aware Q&A page, although the company does note that the feature may offer a more privacy approach to home monitoring than directing cameras and other sensors throughout your home.
Either way, the AXE8400 ranks high on the list of new Wi-Fi 6E hardware I would like to test in 2021, right next to other new Wi-Fi 6E routers by names like Netgear and TP-Link. If it’s time to put it through, I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes, and whether or not the next generation of network hardware will meet the price tag. At $ 850 for a two-piece setup (and you need at least two devices to use the Linksys Aware feature), there’s not much room for error.